The field of the invention relates generally to safety lockout devices for mechanically maintaining industrial control devices in safe operating positions for workers performing maintenance procedures, and more specifically to a lockout/tagout system and method including an electronically actuated multi-user locking device configured to establish a secure lockout/tagout safety chain.
Safety lockout/tagout procedures are in widespread use to ensure worker safety in the performance of otherwise hazardous tasks. For example, electrical power system lockout/tagout devices and processes ensure worker safety in completing maintenance tasks for an electrical power distribution system supplying power to electrical loads. In a typical lockout/tagout procedure, one or more electrical switching devices or disconnect devices in the electrical power system is opened at a designated point or points in the electrical power system to electrically isolate load-side circuitry (and connected electrical loads) from line-side, power supply circuitry. By virtue of the electrically isolated load-side circuitry, workers may accordingly safety attend to tasks on the de-energized load-side of the system without risk of electric shock. To ensure that the electrical isolation of the load-side circuit is maintained for worker safety, the switching/disconnect devices are physically locked out with lockout/tagout devices to prevent the switching/disconnect devices from being re-closed.
While conventional lockout/tagout devices and procedures are effective to provide the desired worker safety, they are nonetheless disadvantaged in some aspects and improvements are desired.